SP-404SX Wave Converter Manual

2009 Roland Corporation

* All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without the written permission of Roland
Corporation.
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Microsoft and Windows are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation.

The screen shots in this document are used in compliance with the guidelines of the Microsoft Corporation.
Windows is known officially as: Microsoft Windows operating system.
Apple and Macintosh are registered trademarks of Apple Inc.
Mac OS is a trademark of Apple Inc.
The SD logo (
) and SDHC logo (
) are trademarks of SD-3C, LLC.

* CompactFlash and

are trademarks of SanDisk Corporation and licensed by CompactFlash association.

* Roland Corporation is an authorized license of the CompactFlashTM and CF logo (

) trademarks.
* All product names mentioned in this document are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners.

1. Introduction
SP-404SX Wave Converter is an application that allows you to import WAV/AIFF format files from your computer
and save them on an SD card formatted for the SP-404SX.
This enables you to handle the files as samples on the SP-404SX.

SP-404SX Wave Converter will be unable to function properly if the SD card is locked.
Make sure that the SD card is not locked.

SP-404SX Wave Converter will directly change the data that is saved on your SD card.
Make a backup of the data on your computer after referring to the SP-404SX owner's manual, if you want.

If you also have the SP-404, you can convert SP-404 data saved on a CompactFlash card to the SP-404SX format.
For details on such conversions, refer to "5. Converting SP-404 data" (p. 5).

2.Connectingwithyourcardreader

2. Connecting with your card reader

Before you use this software, prepare your card reader for use with your computer.
For details on connecting your card reader to your computer, refer to the owners manual of your card reader or the owners
manual of your computer.

This software can only use SD cards that were formatted by the SP-404SX itself.
If the SD card was originally used on your computer, you'll need to format it on the SP-404SX itself.

In order for you to convert SP-404 data into the SP-404SX format, you'll need a card reader that supports both a CompactFlash card and an SD card.

CompactFlashTM

3. Start up the application

Do not remove the SD card or the CompactFlash card from your card reader while SP-404SX Wave Converter
is running.

1.

Windows :
From the Start menu, choose SP-404SX Wave Converter.

Mac :
Double-click the SP-404SX Wave Converter icon.

2.

The application will start up.

4.Procedure

4. Procedure
4-1. Select the card drive
1.

From the [SP-404SX Card Drive:] popup menu, select the drive.

2.

If the selected drive contains a SD card that is in SP-404SX format, the contents of its sample bank will appear on the pads in the screen.

4-2. Select the sample bank

1.

From the [SP-404SX Bank Select:] popup menu, select the sample bank.

2.

The contents of the selected sample bank will appear on the pads in the
screen.

The sample bank is indicated by

a letter from A through J.

4-3. Play the pads

You can play the samples assigned to the pads.

Depending on your computers performance, you may experience the following

problems.
Sample does not play correctly.
Playing sounds are interrupted.

Playing a pad
If you double-click a pad to which a sample is registered, that sample will
play, allowing you to audition the content of that pad.

Stopping play of a pad

To stop playing the sample, click the currently playing pad.

Pads to which a sample is

assigned are shown in red, and
unassigned pads are shown in
white.

4.Procedure

4-4. Importing a WAV/AIFF format file

1.

Click the pad to which you want to import the WAV/AIFF format file.
The border of the selected pad will turn green.

2.

Click the [Import] button.

The load file dialog box will appear.

3.

Select the source folder from which you want to load the file.

You can also select a pad to

which a sample is already
assigned.
In this case, the new sample will
overwrite existing data, so the
previous sample will be erased.

Caution when importing audio

files (WAV/AIFF)
The extension of a WAV file
must be WAV, and the extension of an AIFF file must be AIF.
The file will not be recognized if
its name has any other extension.
Compressed audio files cannot
be imported.

4.

The time required for loading

the file will depend on the size of
the original file.

Select the file that you want to assign to a pad.

At this time you can also audition the file that will be loaded.

i. Click the [Play] button.

When you do so, the [Play] button will change to the [Stop] button.

ii. The selected file will play.

* To stop playback, click the [Stop] button.

iii. When you stop playback, the [Stop] button will automatically change back
to the [Play] button.

5.

Click the [Open] button.

The selected file will be assigned to the pad you specified.
If you decide not to assign the file, click [Cancel].

4-5. Deleting a sample

You can delete a sample that is assigned to a pad.

1.

Click the pad whose sample you want to delete.

The border of the selected pad will turn green.

2.

Click the [Delete] button.

3.

The sample assigned to a pad will be deleted, and the pad will turn white.

5.ConvertingSP404data

5. Converting SP-404 data

You can convert the data saved on an SP-404 CompactFlash card into the
SP-404SX format.

Executing this operation causes any data saved on the SD card to be overwritten.
If the SD card already contains SP-404SX data, be careful, because all that data will
be erased.

The data in the SP-404s internal memory (i.e., the data in pattern banks A and B
and in sample banks A and B) won't be converted.
After conversion, all of these banks will be empty on the SD card.
For this reason, if the performance data of pattern banks C through J contains
data that references the samples in sample banks A and B, such data cannot
produce sound.

1.
2.

Insert the SP-404 CompactFlash card into your card reader.

Windows :
From the File menu, choose Convert All from SP-404 Card.

Mac :
From the SP-404SX Wave Converter menu, choose Convert All from SP-404
Card.
The Select SP-404 Card dialog box will appear.

3.

Choose the card drive into which youve inserted the SP-404 CompactFlash
card, and then click [OK].

4.

All the SP-404 data will be converted at once, and saved to the SP-404SX SD
card.

You can also choose the folder

into which you've previously
copied the entire contents of the
SP-404 card.

6.Exitingtheapplication

6. Exiting the application

1.

Windows :

You can also use the [Exit]

button to exit.

From the File menu, choose Exit.

Mac :
From the SP-404SX Wave Converter menu, choose Quit SP-404SX Wave
Converter.

2.

The application will close.